Device for dispensing straight pins



p 13, 1966 w. w. PATTERSON 3,272,577

DEVICE FOR DISPENSING STRAIGHT PINS Filed July 30, 1964 INVENTOR;

MoD wWNP/WTMMM BY I z ATTORNEY Z2 United States Patent 3,272,577 DEVICE FOR DISPENSING STRAIGHT PINS Woodrow W. Patterson, 3723 Princeton Ave, Nashville, Tenn. Filed July 30, 1964, Ser. No. 386,292 3 Claims. (Cl. 312-42) This invention relates to a device for dispensing straight pins, and more particularly to a device for dispensing straight pins regardless of the material from which they are made.

This device is an improvement over the Pin Dispenser disclosed in the patent application of Woodrow W. Patterson, S.N. 207,219, filed July 3, 1962, now Patent No. 3,146,042, which was limited to the dispensing of straight pins made of steel or other magnetic material.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel device for dispensing straight pins, preferably metallic, but regardless of their magnetic characteristics, in an orderly manner, readily accessible to the user, and without undue scattering of the pins.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device for dispensing pins including a container or magazine for the pins which may be easily replaced or reloaded.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device for dispensing straight pins, including a pin receiving trough made of frictional material to minimize the sliderbility and the scattering of the dispensed pins.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device for dispensing straight pins including a tubular pin magazinc and a pin receiving trough so angularly related to each other as to easily control the dispensing of the pins by gravity, and the accumulation of the pins for ready accessibility to the user.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel device for dispensing straight pins which is completely portable and adaptable for use in garment factories, tailor and dress-making shops or in the home of the user.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pin dispenser made in accordance with this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the pin dispenser disclosed in FIG. 1, taken along the longitudinal center plane.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the device for dispensing straight pins 11 of any material, such as steel, brass or any other material, and whether magnetic or non-magnetic, includes a substantially fiat base 12 made of wood or any other convenient material, having a planar bottom surface 13 and a top surface 14, which is also preferably planar and parallel to the bottom surface 13.

In this specific embodiment of the invention, a trough support member 17 is adjustably mounted upon the base 12 to hold or support an elongated pin receiving trough 18 at an acute angle adjustable within certain limits between the top surface 14 and the longitudinal axis of the trough 18. The specific trough support member 17 disclosed in the drawings includes four articulated sections 21 21, 22 and 23 pivotally connected in series respectively by the hinges 24, 25 and 26. The front section 28 depends flush against the front edge of the base 12 and is fixed thereto by means, such as wood screw 28, so that the front or lower end of the trough 18 is substantially even with and slightly above the front edge of the base 12.

The trough section 21 is elongated and extends substantially the length of and is fixed to the bottom of the trough 18, by means such as cement, so that the trough 18 is in longitudinal alignment with the trough section 21, and is pivotally movable therewith about the hinge 24.

The upright arm or section 22 is pivotal about both hinges 25 and 26 at either end, and when the hinge 26 is moved longitudinally along the top surface 14 by means of the securing plate or section 23, the upper portion of the trough section 21 and the trough 18 are elevated and lowered accordingly. An elongated slot 30 having an open rear end is formed in the plate 23 to receive a bolt 31 threaded into the base 12. The bolt 31 is adapted to releasably hold a keeper bar 32 transversely of the slot 30 and in frictional engagement with the top of the plate 23 in order to lock the trough support member 17 in any adjusted angular position. The bolt 31 may be provided with a lock nut 33, or a plain wood screw may be substituted for the bolt 31 and nut 33, if desired.

The trough 18 is formed of a frictional material, or at least has its top surf-ace made of a frictional material, such as hard rubber. Moreover, the trough 18 preferably has an arcuate cross-section which is symmetrical about its longitudinal axis to provide side Walls for more effectively receiving and retaining the pins 11.

Mounted adjacent the upper end portion of the trough 18 is va pillow or block 35 supporting an :arcuate lip or retainer 36 concave toward the lower end of the trough 18. The lip 36 is spaced from the front edge of the pillow 35 just a sufficient distance to receive and support an edge of the lower end 38 of the transparent cylindrical container, tube or magazine 40. The length of the container 40 is determined by the number of pins 11 desired to be held, but the diameter of the tube 40 is uniform and less than the length of any of the pins 11. Thus, if all the pins 11 are introduced into the upper end 41 of the tubular container 40 head down, then the pins 11 will be dispensed head down into trough 18, since they will be unable to turn upside down because of the limited diameter of the tube 40.

The upper portion of the container 40 is loosely supported in an inclined position at a small angle to the vertical, by means of the cradle 43 having upstanding posts 44 and 45 fixed in the top surface 14 of the base 12, as best disclosed in FIG. 1. It will be observed that the inclination of the cylindrical container 40 is in the same direction as the inclination of the trough 18, that is, the lower end 38 of the container 40 and the lower end of the trough 18 slope downwardly and forwardly.

The tubular container 40 is held in its corresponding adjusted position on the pillow 35, and against the lip 36 and cradle 43 by means of an anchor band 48, which is preferably of an elastic material such as rubber, and may be connected and dis-connected at various vertically adjustable positions by means of the hooks 49 at each end of the band extending through corresponding apertures 51) in an upstanding U-shaped anchor frame 51. The anchor frame 51 is fixedly secured to the top surface 14 of the base 12 in an upright position by means, such as wood screw 52.

The operation of the device 10 is initiated with one or more of the hooks 49 dis-engaged from the apertures 50 so that the anchor band 48 is dis-connected, and the tubular magazine 40 is completely removed from the device 10. Since the lower end 38 and the upper end 41 of the magazine are normally open in operative position, both ends may be plugged when the container is removed to prevent any of the pins 11 from spilling from the container 40 when not in use.

With the container 40 removed, the bolt 31 is loosened, and plate 23 is moved longitudinally of the base 12 beneath the keeper bar 32 in order to adjust the trough section 21 and the trough 18 at the desired longitudinal angle with the base 12. Since the device 10 is completely portable, the bottom surface 13 is fiat or planar, so that it may be normally supported upon a table or other horizontal supporting surface. Thus, the angle which the trough section 21 makes with the base 12 will also be equal to the angle which the trough section 21 makes with the horizontal. After the trough support member 17 is adjusted to its desired position, the bolt 31 is then tightened against the keeper bar 32 to lock the support member 17 in position.

The magazine 40, containing the desired number of straight pins 11, is then placed with its lower end 38 upon the pillow 35 in front of the lip 36 with the container 40 leaning rearwardly against the cradle 43. The' lower end 38 is preferably closed while the container 40 is being placed in position, but is opened after the device is assembled in order to permit the pins to fall from the container 40 upon the trough 18. The container 40 is then secured in place by stretching the anchor band 48 around the container 40 and connecting to the anchor frame 51 by means of the hooks 49 and corresponding apertures 50.

In order for the device to properly function, the spacing between the lower open end 38 and the bottom of the trough 18 is less than the length of any of the pins 11. This limitation is provided by the height of the pillow 35.

The lower end 38 of the container 40 slopes forward slightly, in order to discharge the pins 11 forward upon the trough 18. The co-efiicient of friction of the material in the trough 18 and the angle of the trough 18 to the horizontal are such that the pins 11 will not freely slide upon the surface of the trough 18 without being forced by the weight of the pins 11 behind. Although the angular positions of the trough 18 and the container 40 are, to a limited degree, within the option of the user, and dependent upon the co-etficient of friction of the material in the trough 18, the angle which a hard rubber trough 18 makes with the horizontal is preferably 10-20 degrees, and the angle which the tube 40 makes with the vertical is preferably 10-20 degrees. Thus, the pins 11 will be dispensed only as they are needed, and yet be accessible to the user without scattering over a wide area. Although the pins 11 will not slide on the frictional material of the trough 18, still some of the pins will slide upon other pins beneath them, which will provide a normal distribution of pins 11 to the extent disclosed in the drawing. Of course, if the pins 11 are introduced head first through the upper end 41, they will be dispensed head first through the lower end 38.

Thus, the arrangement, spacing and the angle of inclination of the pin container 40 and the pin receiving through 18 are particularly adapted to rapidly transmit the pins 11 through the container 40 and discharge them through the lower end 38 in a forwardly direction, yet the limited angle of inclination of the trough 18 and the frictional material of the trough 18 will limit the number and the grouping of the pins dispensed to thus provide a high degree of control with complete accessibility.

It therefore will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing, and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A straight pin dispensing device comprising:

(a) a base having a front end and a rear end,

(b) an elongated container having an upper open end and a lower open end,

(c) a plurality of straight pins, each pin having a first end and a second end, said pins being longitudinally received in said container with said first ends down,

((1) means for constraining said pins against end-overend movement in said container,

(e) an elongated trough having an arcuate crosssection for receiving said pins, and having an upper end and a lower end,

(f) an elongated support member adjustably mounted on said base for holding said trough longitudinally inclined at an angle to the horizontal, with the lower end of said trough extending forwardly,

(g) means adjacent the upper end of said trough for supporting the lower open end of said container spaced vertically above said trough less than the length of each straight pin so that the first ends of said pins will engage said trough before said second ends leave said container,

(h) means on said base for supporting said container in an upright longitudinally inclined position, with the lower end of said container extending forwardly so that the first ends of said straight pins are directed from said container downwardly and forwardly.

2. A device for dispensing straight pins comprising:

(a) a base having a front end and a rear end,

(b) an elongated cylindrical container for said pins having an upper end and a lower end, and a diameter less than the length of a straight pin to be dispensed,

(c) an elongated trough having an arcuate cross-section for receiving said pins, and having an upper end and a lower end,

(d) an elongated support member adjustably mounted on said base for holding said trough longitudinally inclined at an angle to the horizontal, with the lower end of said trough extending forwardly,

(e) means adjacent the upper end of said trough for supporting the lower end of said container spaced above said trough less than the length of any of said pins,

(f) a cradle fixedly supported on said base in an upright position for receiving the upper portion of said container so that said container is longitudinally inclined with the lower end of said container extending forwardly, and

(g) a detachable band secured to said base for holding said container against said cradle and said supporting means adjacent said trough.

3. A device for dispensing straight pins comprising:

(a) a base having a front end and a rear end,

(b) an elongated cylindrical container for said pins having an upper end and a lower end, and a diameter less than the length of a straight pin to be dispensed,

(c) an elongated trough having an arcuate crosssection for receiving said pins, and having an upper end and a lower end,

(d) an elongated member for supporting said trough,

(e) means for pivotally connecting the lower end of said trough support member to said base,

(f) an upright trough support arm,

(g) means for pivotally connecting the upper end of said trough support member to the upper end of said trough support arm,

(h) means for moving the lower end of said trough support arm longitudinally of said trough support member, so that said trough support member may be adjustably mounted on said base for holding said trough longitudinally inclined at an angle to the horizontal with the lower end of said trough extending forwardly,

(1) means adjacent the upper end of said trough for supporting the lower end of said container spaced above said trough less than the length of any of said pins, and

(j) means on said base for supporting said container in an upright longitudinally inclined position, with the lower end of said container extending forwardly.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Tea 21115 Yamakishi.

Foote 312-45 X Katter 348-42 X Leonard 312-45 X 6 References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,578,223 12/1951 Brunner. 2,736,430 2/1956 Ratti.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

J. PETO, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A STRAIGHT PIN DISPENSING DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) A BASE HAVING A FRONT END AND A REAR END, (B) AN ELONGATED CONTAINER HAVING AN UPPER OPEN END AND A LOWER OPEN END, (C) A PLURALITY OF STRAIGHT PINS, EACH PIN HAVING A FIRST END AND A SECOND END, SAID PINS BEING LONGITUDINALLY RECEIVED IN SAID CONTAINER WITH SAID FIRST ENDS DOWN, (D) MEANS FOR CONSTRAINING SAID PINS AGAINST END-OVEREND MOVEMENT IN SAID CONTAINER, (E) AN ELONGATED TROUGH HAVING AN ARCUATE CROSSSECTION FOR RECEIVING SAID PINS, AND HAVING AN UPPER END AND A LOWER END, (F) AN ELONGATED SUPPORT MEMBER ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FOR HOLDING SAID TROUGH LONGITUDINALLY INCLINED AT AN ANGLE TO THE HORIZONTAL, WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID TROUGH EXTENDING FORWARDLY, (G) MEANS ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF SAID TROUGH FOR SUPPORTING THE LOWER OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER SPACED VERTICALLY ABOVE SAID TROUGH LESS THAN THE LENGTH OF EACH STRAIGHT PIN SO THAT THE FIRST ENDS OF SAID PINS WILL ENGAGE SAID TROUGH BEFORE SAID SECOND ENDS LEAVE SAID CONTAINER, (H) MEANS ON SAID BASE FOR SUPPORTING SAID CONTAINER IN AN UPRIGHT LONGITUDINALLY INCLINED POSITION, WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID CONTAINER EXTENDING FORWARDLY SO THAT THE FIRST ENDS OF SAID STRAIGHT PINS ARE DIRECTED FROM SAID CONTAINER DOWNWARDLY AND FORWARDLY. 